Engine Mercedes OM616

The 2.4-liter in-line diesel engine Mercedes OM616 was produced from 1973 to 1992 and was installed both on mid-size models such as W115, W123, and on the Gelendvagen SUV. This power unit was seriously upgraded in 1978, so there are two versions of it.

The diesel R4-family includes: OM616, OM601, OM604, OM611, OM640, OM646, OM651, OM654, OM668.

The ancestor of the 4-cylinder diesel series, the 1.9-liter OM621 engine, appeared in 1958. In 1968, it was replaced by a newer power unit of the OM615 series with a volume of 2.0 and 2.2 liters. Finally, in 1973, the 2.4-liter engine of the OM616 line debuted. The design of this atmospheric vortex-chamber diesel engine was classic for that time: a cast-iron cylinder block with liners, a cast-iron 8-valve cylinder head without hydraulic lifters and a double-row timing chain that rotates a single camshaft, as well as an in-line Bosch M high-pressure fuel pump.

In 1974, on the basis of this power unit, a 5-cylinder engine of the OM617 series was created.

Specifications

Production years	1973-1992
Displacement, cc	2404 (sample 1973) 2399 (sample 1978)
Fuel system	vortex chamber
Power output, hp	65 (sample 1973) 72 – 75 (sample 1978)
Torque output, Nm	137
Cylinder block	cast iron R4
Block head	cast iron 8v
Cylinder bore, mm	91 (sample 1973) 90.9 (sample 1978)
Piston stroke, mm	92.4
Compression ratio	21.0 (sample 1973) 21.5 (sample 1978)
Hydraulic lifters	no
Timing drive	double-row chain
Turbocharging	no
Recommended engine oil	10W-40, MB 228.1/229.1
Engine oil capacity, liter	6.5
Fuel type	diesel
Euro standards	EURO 0
Fuel consumption, L/100 km (for Mercedes E 240 D 1985) — city — highway — combined	9.9 7.2 8.9
Engine lifespan, km	~800 000
Weight, kg	225

The engine was installed on:

• Mercedes E-Class W115 in 1973 – 1976; E-Class W123 in 1976 – 1986;
• Mercedes G-Class W460 in 1979 – 1987;
• Mercedes MB100 W631 in 1988 – 1992;
• Mercedes T1-Series W601 in 1982 – 1988; T2-Series W602 in 1986 – 1989.

Disadvantages of the OM616 engine

• This is a very reliable and hardy diesel engine with just a huge resource and the most famous weak point is the rear crankshaft seal in the form of packing, which often leaks, which can lead to oil starvation and expensive repairs.
• At Bosch M injection pumps with vacuum control, the rack drive membrane often breaks, but the pumps of the updated units of the MW and M/RSF series no longer have this problem. Also, due to the wear of the seals, the booster pump may unexpectedly fail.
• Despite the fact that the motor is equipped with a double-row timing chain, it does not last very long. They change it about once every 200 – 250 thousand km, often together with dampers and stars.